Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

Game Summary

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is an action RPG designed specifically for handheld play on the DSi. The ninth game in the beloved Japanese Dragon Quest series, like its predecessors Sentinels of the Starry Skies features third-person oriented turn-based battles and a deep combo/multiplier system. In addition to this the game possess powerful new features including multiplayer and online functionality, extensive customization options, new play modes and a means to share content with other players

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All the best tales are told, "Once upon a time."Â Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry SkiesÂ (DQ IX) begins with that style of storytelling and weaves a yarn that is told nicely all the way until the â€œThe End.â€ For all intents and purposes, DQ IX is the same type of Japanese developed role-playing game that has been recycled and trotted out with different names plastered over similar looking faces and places; however, DQ IX is able to make a connection with the player unlike the grand majority of similar games.
The Dragon Quest lineage of games has been a staple in the world of gaming since basically forever. DQ IX is created by legendary RPG developers Level 5, known for games likeÂ Jeanne Dâ€™arcÂ andÂ Dragon Quest VIII.Â Dragon BallÂ andDragon Ball ZÂ creator Akira Toriyama directed the art with his unmistakable style that makes the tag team efforts of the creators to new heights, all while steeped in tradition. This means the DQ IX comes with an unmistakable Japanese flavor that is going to appeal to a lot of RPG diehards.Â There is always a hint of cultural differences, which is something celebrated in DQ IX rather than swept under the rug.
The story begins with an angel charged with protecting a sleepy hamlet. After solving basic requests for the simple, salt of the earth townsfolk, a world shaking event sends the fledgling guardian angel crashing back to the mortal world without divine powers. A quest to save the world and regain celestial powers beings as the story begins to unravel and draws players in like a cozy book by a fireside. DQ IX has a good origin and is able to keep the momentum up through the rest of the chapters. Part of what keeps the story fresh is the cheeky undertones of irreverence the keep the game always a few hairs ahead of becoming self aware of RPG traditions. I especially liked the town dubbed â€œCoffinwellâ€ that was plagued with a mysterious illness that was making the town sick. To balance the playful fun, there are some melancholy moments that bring up philosophical questions about leaving unfinished business after death. However, the overall story can be accused of being too slow and taking its time to develop.
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One of these things is not like the others...
Of the many things Nintendo talked about earlier today, the two biggest and most anticipated were no doubt Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M. But where the two differ is that we have a pretty good idea of what Super Mario Galaxy 2 should be like; "Other M" could easily mean "Other Mystery" as far as gameplay is concerned.
Following the debut trailer at the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, the question on everyone's minds has been whether the game would be a 2.5D experience akin to the Metroid titles of old, or a 3D experience, perhaps like the Prime trilogy of titles. And the answer is:
Both. Read More

Being one of best selling RPGs last year in Japan, Nintendo has agreed to publish Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies in North America. Announced this morning at Nintendo's Media Summit in San Francisco, the game is planned to be released sometime this summer.
Selling 4.14 million copies in Japan alone, the latest installment of Dragon Quest franchise has sold so well, that it's not a surprise that Square Enix would like to conquer the handheld gaming market elsewhere. Also, check out our continuing coverage of Nintendo's Media Summit here. Read More

So, Nintendo's media summit is scheduled to get under way any time now. I'm not actually there, but I'm keeping an eye on a number of people who are, so hopefully that will be close enough.
We did get an invite, but I'm not sure of our liveblogging capabilities otherwise. So, if we got an invite, why aren't I there? To the best of my knowledge, it's for people in the San Francisco area, or who can pay their own way, and that's a bit of an expensive commute from Toronto, so there you have it. But if there is any hands-on stuff to be had, I'm sure we'll bring it to you soon.
For now? Just waiting for news to pour in; refresh this post (not on the front page) to keep up with the latest buzz.
It's six minutes after noon as we speak, with the summit scheduled for noon EST/9am PST, and it seems people are still being seated/things are still getting ready. Not all that surprising, really; if Nintendo has ever started one of these things on time, be it here, E3, or elsewhere, I don't remember it. Not necessarily a bad thing, though; I just think they aren't prepared for the turnout they tend to get. Read More